DAMASCUS: Ahmed Hilmi, a Syrian human rights activist and survivor of the Baath regime’s prisons, is advocating for justice for the numerous victims who suffered systematic torture and killings during Syria’s civil war. Hilmi, who spent three harrowing years in detention centers, is calling for accountability following the collapse of the regime and the subsequent release of anti-regime prisoners.
According to Anadolu Agency, Hilmi was a civil engineering student in Damascus when he became a target after participating in the 2011 protests. He recounted being abducted by regime forces on his way to class, a moment he thought might be his last glimpse of the sky. After five months of uncertainty and isolation, Hilmi was transferred to a state prison where he was finally allowed to see his mother, who initially failed to recognize him due to his severely altered appearance.
Following his release, Hilmi founded ‘Ta’afi’, an organization dedicated to supporting torture victims. The initiative took inspiration fr
om Hilmi’s best friend, Islam, who vanished in 2011 after joining the protests and was later confirmed to have died under torture. ‘Ta’afi’ now serves as a platform for hundreds of survivors seeking justice.
Hilmi described the notorious Sednaya Prison as akin to Dante’s Inferno, highlighting the inhumane conditions prisoners endured. Deprived of basic necessities like fresh air, sunlight, and sufficient food, many detainees succumbed to starvation and untreated illnesses. Hilmi stated that these conditions represent only a fraction of the suffering experienced in Syrian prisons.
The ‘Caesar photos,’ taken by a military photographer, serve as critical evidence of the torture and deaths of detainees, according to Hilmi. These images, captured between 2011 and 2013, provide visual documentation of the scars and inhumane conditions faced by prisoners.
Expressing disappointment with the international community, Hilmi criticized the lack of decisive action against the Assad regime. He emphasized the absence of
a functioning justice system in Syria and called for international accountability to address these crimes against humanity.